Ebook & Online References

“Some thoughts about selling on Etsy”

by Kristen Kieffer.Kristen Keiffer is a studio potter, workshop leader and ceramic instructor working from her home studio in north central Massachuttes. Her ceramics are “ornately elegant pottery for everyday”.

“I could teach a whole weekend workshop about Etsy, and still only cover the basics. It’s taken me a long time to learn what I know, mostly through hanging out in the Etsy forums in the beginning, then trial and error, plus there are periodical overhauls to the site, so things are constantly changing, requiring an ongoing upkeep of info.

At this point, I think having an Etsy shop is almost as popular or given as having a website, but just because the work is available for sale, doesn’t mean anyone knows, cares, or buys. It still takes effort to promote. I’d say the majority of full-time studio potters I know now have an Etsy shop. How well anyone sells on Etsy (as with any venue) depends on the work, price point, quality, publicity, communication, and customer service.

It’s a marketplace, so some customers will stumble across a given shop, but with thousands of shops, there’s lots of competition, so directing customers via social media is a must. Good photo abilities, writing skills, and packing and shipping knowledge, are just some of the basics that are a necessity before selling online.

There is a staggering range (media and quality) of handmade items on Etsy, but it’s an accessible and affordable venue for all where retail galleries are not, so it’s a level field, but good work can stand out, but it requires effort”

Selling on Etsy by Terry Parker

Terry Parker is a full time potter living in and inspired by the landscape in Tucson, Arizona. She is one of the leaders of the Etsy Mud Team. The Mud Team’s mission is to provide a center of community, learning and promotion of the ceramic artist on Etsy.